Phonograph



Aug.l 6, 1935.

H. F. M. GRAMANN 2,010,717

y PHONOGRAPH Filed Jan. 23, 1932 2,5 l 'lNvENToR HemrLc/z E Max GamanrzI A ORNEY- Patented Aug. 6, 1935 PiioNoGRAPH` Heinrich F. Max Gra-mann, Orange, N. J assigner to Thomas A. Edison,

Incorporated, West Orange, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Appiication January' 23,

1932 serial No. 588,331

35 claims. (c1. 274-40) ports or mandrels for phonographs using cylin-Y drical sound records or tablets, as for example phonographs such as are now in. common use for `recording and reproducing dictation.

Owing to variance in and changing of the diameters of the bores of cylindrical records designed for use with commercial phonographs,

. `much difficulty has been experienced in developing a practicable form of record support` for properly supporting the records in proper operative position in such phonographs during `their recording aswell as their transcribing. 4The record mandrels or supports heretofore used have in many cases been complicated in manipulation and unsatisfactory in operation.

1 The principal object of my invention is to provide an improved form of record support designed toeiiectively hold cylindrical records, regardless of slight variations and changes in the diameters of their bores, in proper operative position in a i phonograph provided with such. a support and which requires a minimum of manipulation in applying and removing records.

A furtherfobiectof my invention is to provide in asupport such `as described, improved means for eject-ing a record wherein `the ejecting force or energy is produced in applying the record to the support andr is stored until it is desired]V to remove the record from lthe support. Y

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved construction for centralizing and holding a record on the support and whereby the record is preferably held only at its ends and clear of all intermediate parts of the support.

I A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby if a record, in being applied to the support, is not brought to full operative poe sition, a clear and definite `indication of that fact will be given. ,Y

,Other objects and features of my.v invention will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed. I l

The present invention is, in some aspects,v an improvement on each ofthe inventions described and claimed in the' copending applications of Charles Huenlich, Serial No..581,870, filed December 18, 1931, of Nelson C. Durand and Heinrich F. Max Gramann, Serial No. 584,772, filed January 5, 1932, and of Willis S. Frid-ell, Serial No,` 584,373, lecf'January 2, 1932. To best attain the objects above set forth, some of thek featuiesdisclosed in said copending applications have been combined inthe present invention in an effective and novel manner, i

Y For a clearer understanding of my invention, attention is hereby directed to the drawing which accompanies and forms part of this specification `5 and in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section and partly broken away, of a conventional form of commercial phonograph provided with a preferred form of my improved record support, and 10. showing the positions of the parts with .a record applied to the support in proper operative position;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation, of the support shown in Fig. 15 l, with the parts in the ,positions they normally occupy when a record is not mounted in operative positionV on Vthe support;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view ,taken on Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is on line 5-5 of Fig. 2, parts being omitted; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in ele- 235` vation showing details of the ejecting mechanism.

The phonograph to which my invention is shown` applied in Fig. 1 is of well known con.-r struction and |comprises a bed plate i provided with standards 2 and 3. Supported at one enclin 3U. the standard 3vY is sleeve 4 secured rigidly in fixed position by a set screw 5. The driving shaft 6 for the phonograph is mounted to extend through the sleeve 4, the left Vhand end of said `shaft (Fig. 1) being rotatable within. a bearing 1 in 35` the corresponding endof the sleeve. VA knuried nut,8 secured to the right hand endof shaft 6, as shown in Fig. 2, engages and cooperates with the corresponding end` i6 of a hollow shaft ,9. which end It! is adjacent the end' of sleeve `to 40r prevent the shaft 6 from shiftingy longitudinally with reference to said sleeve. Power is transmitted to the drivingY shaft of the phonograph by means of a belt, not shown, encircling a pulley li rotatable on a stud shaft I2 which is secured 451 in the standard 2 by a set screw l2'.' VAny means may be provided to prevent lateral movement of the pulley Il', in this instance` a set screw Il' cooperating with an annular groove in the shaft l2 is employed. The shaft I2 is axially in line 505 with shaft 6, to which it is adapted-to be connected by a clutch I3, one member of which is slidable back and forth upon the enlarged portion 6 of the shaft 6. A gear. I4 is secured `to the shaft portion ii` and from this gear, by conv 551? une e-a of ,v 20` a, sectional view taken on line T-4 of,

Aa sectional View taken substantially 'conical surface of member 35.

nections not shown, the feed screw of the phono-- graph is driven in the usual manner. The shaft 9 is rotatably mounted upon the sleeve Il by means of its bearing portions i5 and it. The end l of shaft 9 is provided with a keyway il' which is engaged by a key or pin i8 on shaft 6 (see Fig. 2), and thus rotation of shaft 6 is imparted to the shaft 9. The structure above described forms no part of my present invention, being merely a conventional form of phonograph mechanism to which my improved record support has been adapted and is herein shown applied.

Referring particularly to Figs. l and 2, reference character 2@ designates a hollow substantially cylindrical slightly tapered shell or record guiding member, which extends substantially over the full length of shaft 9 and is adapted to receive thereover and to guide to proper operative position a cylindrical record being applied to the support. The shell 2t is concentrically supd ported on shaft 9 by a pair of discs 2l and. 22, and is secured to said shaft by means of a set screw 23 (Fig. l) which extends through a collar 24 on the disc 2l into engagement with said shaft. At the smaller end of member 2d is a hollow conical chuck 2l composed of three sections or jaws 28, 29 and 30. The smaller end of chuck 2l is disposed within the shell 2? and is supported by a collar 3i which is secured to the shaft 9 by a screw 32. The larger end portion of the chuck 2l extends outwardly of shell 2G and is abruptly shouldered so as to provide an enlarged conical bearing portion 33 for engagement with the smaller endof the bore of a record mounted on thevsupport. The sections or jaws 23, 2Q and 38 of chuck 2'! are respectively loosely connected to the supporting collar 3l by means of small pins or screws 3i which engage enlarged apertures in said sections so as to provide for expansion and ycontraction of the chuck. The outer ends of the jaws of the chuck have inwardly extending flanges which engage and cooperate with an annular conical surface provided on a member 35. This member 35 is preferably an integral enlarged portion of a cup-shaped member which is slidably mounted on the shaft 9. A coiled spring Sil embraces the chuck sections 28, 29 and 3@ and yieldingly holds them in engagement with the Member 36 extends outwardly beyond the right end of shaft Q and is provided at its outer end with a knob 3l and at its other end with an annular lip 38. Longitudinal movement of member 3d is limited by the engagement of a screw 9, secured to shaft 9, with a slot 39 in said member. A spring 4i disposed Within the outer end portion of member 35 constantly urges the latter outwardly. A locking or retaining pawl i3 is pivotally mounted on a pin ill carried by an extension 45 of collar 3 I. The pawl ti3 is constantly urged clockwise for engagement with the lip S8 by a spring l5 which embraces a rod 4l. This rod extends longitudinally of the support through slots i9 in discs 2| and 22 and is connected at one end i8 to the pawl 3. rlhe spring ifi is disposed on rod il? between the disc 2l and a washer 5S which is retained in position on the rod by a ycross-pin El A record supporting and ejecting disc 52 is slidably mounted on the inner or left hand end portion of shaft 9, and has an outwardly extending annular end flange 53 and a laterally extending annular tapered flange 5d adapted for engagement with the larger end of the bore of a record mounted on the support. Disc 52 is also provided with a long integral hub or sleeve 55 which extends into the shell 2G and has an annular outstanding ange 5 at the end thereof. Sliding movement of disc 52 on shaft 9 is limited in one direction by an indicator disc 5l' secured to said shaft, and in the other direction by the supporting disc 2i. Disc 52 is constantly urged toward the right or towards the disc 2l by a pair of springs 59 and 6@ surrounding the smooth portions of two parallel guide rods 6! and E2 (Figs. 5 and 6) threaded into the disc 2l and passing loosely through the flange 5S. The rod ll also passes loosely through the flange 55 and is provided at its left hand end with an adjustable nut C33 adapted to cooperate with said flange when a record is moved onto the support.

The operation of my improved record support may be briefly described as follows:

In Fig. 2, the support is shown in contracted condition ready for the reception of a record. The hook-shaped retaining pawl d3 is then in engagement with the lip 38 of the slidable member 36 and retains this member substantially at its innermost position, in which the spring Qi is compressed and the sections 28, 29 and 39 of chuck 2 are fully retracted. A record may now be moved freely over the chuck 27 and the shell or guiding member 26 until its inner end engages the sloping surface of flange Sli of disc 52, as indicated by dash and dot lines in Fig. 2. Upon moving a record to this position, further pressure is applied to the record to move the same and the disc 52 and its iange 55 to the left against the action of springs 59 and 60, compressing the latter. During this movement of the record the springs 5S and Sil are compressed by the flange 5S, and when the record reaches its operative position the disc 52 will have been moved to a position adjacent the indicator disc 5l. In such movement of disc 52 its flange 55 engages nut 83 on rod ill, thereby moving the latter to the left and disengaging the pawl i3 from the lip 38. Spring il thereupon moves member 36 to the right causing chuck 2l to expand by the coaction of the sloping surface of member 35 with the sections 23, 29 and 3), so as to bring the sloping annular surface 33 of the chuck into gripping engagement with the smaller end of the bore of the record, all as shown in Fig. l. When a record is moved to operative position on the mandrel or support, as described, it is gripped and centered with respect to the axis of the supportat one end by the annular tapered flange 54 of disc 52 and at the other end by the conical bearing portion 33 of chuck 2l. The record is then supported only by the chuck 27 and disc 52 and is clear of the shell or guiding member 2i).

When it is desired to remove the record from the support, it is only necessary to move member 36 inwardly by manipulation of the knob 37. Uponsuch movement of member 35 the chuck sections will be contracted by spring 30' and the record will be freed. Springs 59 and 59 will thereupon by reason of the energy stored therein, suddenly expand and by coaction with flange 55, will move disc 52 to the right and eject or move the record outwardly of the support for easy removal by the hand of the operator. The distance to which the record is ejected, or the force under which it is ejected, is dependent upon the strength of springs 59 and t@ which, of course, are selected to obtain the degree of ejection desired. Upon the completion of the ejecting operation, the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 2. It is to be noted that in the movement of disc 52 tothe position shown in Fig. 2, the flange 58 disengages nut 63,'andspring 4S then acts to move rod 47 to the right andthereby engage pawl I3` with the lip 38 of member 36 to lock or retain member substantially at its innermost position. The Vsupport is now conditioned for the reception'of a record. f A

TheA edge of the indicator disc is preferably colored so as to vividly contrast with the record material. Accordingly in case a'record is not moved to its full operative position on the support in applying the same thereto, the operator readily notes this fact.

`While I have describeda preferred embodiment of my invention it is to be understood that the same is subject to manyl changes and modifications Without departure from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A unitary rotatable support for cylindrical records comprising devices forengaging and supporting a record, when the latter is operatively positioned on the support, only at its ends, one oi said devices including record engageable means movable in a direction to impart to such record ejecting movement in respect of the support.

2. A support for cylindrical records comprising devices for engaging and supporting a record only at its ends, one of said devices including record engageable means movable in a direction to impart to a record mounted on the support ejecting movement in respect of the support and the other of said devices being expansible to and contractible from record supporting position.

3. A support for cylindrical records 'comprising` devices for engaging and supporting a record only at its ends, one of said devices including record engageable means movable in a direction to impart to a record mounted on, the support eecting movement in respect of the support and the Vother of said devices being expansible to and contractible from record supporting position and means effective to maintain the latter device contracted comprising a releasable locking device.

4. A support for cylindrical recordsoomprising devices for engaging and supporting a record only at its ends, one of said devices including record engageable means movablein a direction to impart to a record mounted on the supportr ejecting movement in respect of the support Vand the other of said devices being expansible to and i contractible from record supporting position,

means effective to maintain the latter device contracted 'comprising a releasable locking device, and means for imparting ejectingrnovement to said movable means upon the release of said locking device.

5. A support for cylindrical records comprising record supporting Vmeans which when a record is operatively mounted on the support has engagement with the record only at its ends, said means including a device cooperative with one end of such record to impart thereto ejecting movement in respect of the support.

6. A support for cylindrical records comprising devices for engaging and supporting a record, one of said devices being expansible to and contractible `from record supporting position and another of said devices being movable longitudinally of the support.

7. A support for cylindrical records comprising devices for engaging and supporting a record, one

, of said devices being expansible toand contractible from record supporting position and another of said devices being movable longitudinally of thesupport, a'record being applicable to the support over saidexpansible and contractible device when the latter is contracted. S. A support for cylindrical records comprising devicesforengagingandsupporting a record, one

of said devices being expansible `to and contractible from record supporting position and another of said devices being movablelongitudinally of the support, the latter device being biased to a predetermined position longitudinally of the support.

" 9. A support for cylindrical records comprising devices for engaging and supporting a reco rdone of saiddevices being expansible to and contractible from record supporting position and another of said devices being movable longitudinally of the support, and means rendered operable upon movement of the latter device to a predetermined position to effect the expansion of the other device.

10. A support for Acylindrical records comprising devices for engaging and supporting a record, one oi ,s aid devices being eXpansible to and contractiblefrom record supporting position and another of said devices being movable longitudinally of the support and constituting'record ejecting means, the latter device being biased to record ejecting position.

`1l. A support for cylindrical recordsA comprising devices for engaging and supporting a record, one of said devices being expansible tu and contractible from record supporting position and another of said devices being movable longitudinally of the support, and guiding means disposed between said d-evices and `acting upon the application of areoord to the support, to direct the record to proper operative relation with respect to one of said devices.

l2. A support for cylindrical records comprising a pair of record-supporting devices, said devices beingV so spaced longitudinally of the support that when a record is operatively mounted on the support they respectively engage and support such` record only at its ends and grip the record therebetween, one of said devices comprising a plurality of elements which are independent of the other'of said devices and which are expansible to and contractable from recordsupporting position, and means'for positively and uniformly expanding and contracting said elements. y

1-3. A support for cylindrical records comprising devices for engaging and supporting a record only at its ends, one of said devices including record engageable means movable in a direction Y to impart to a record mounted on the support ejecting movement in respectof the support, and means cooperative, With one of said devices for indicating the proper operative position of a' record on the support. y

v14. A support for cylindrical records comprising devices for engaging and supporting a record, one of said devices being expansible to and contractible from record supporting position and anotherpof said devices being movable longitudinallyzof the support, and means cooperative with said longitudinally movable device for indicating the proper operative position of 'a record on the support. 1 i i l5. A rotatable self-contained support for oylindrical recordscomprising record-engaging and supporting` means adapted properly andoperatively to support a record only when the latter is in a given position on the support longitudinally thereof, and means comprising relatively movable parts, one of which is movable by a record during the `movement of the latter onto the support toward said given position, for indicating by the relative position of such parts during application of a record to the support when such record is in any position longitudinally of the support other than said given position.

16. A rotatable self -contained support or mandrel for cylindrical records comprising devices for supportinga record only at its ends, one of said devices being expansible to and contractible from record supporting position, a manually operable member movable to a position wherein it maintains the latter device expanded, and means applied to and forming a part of the support or mandrel for releasably locking said member in another position.

17. A rotatable self -contained support or mandrel for cylindrical records comprising devices for supporting a record only at its ends, one of said devices being expansible to and contractible from record supporting position, a manually operable member movable to a position wherein it maintains the latter device expanded, said member being biased to such position, and means applied to and forming a part of the support or mandrel for releasably locking said member in another position.

18. A support for cylindrical records comprising devices for engaging and supporting a record only at its ends, one of said devices being operable to impart to a record mounted on the supportV ejecting movement in respect oi the support and the other of said devices being expansible to and contractible from record supporting position, means effective to maintain the latter device contracted comprising a releasable locking device, and a longitudinally movable memberoperable by said record supporting and ejecting device and arranged to coact with said lock ing device.

19. A support for cylindrical records comprising record-supporting devices spaced from each other longitudinally of the support, one of said devices being expansible to and contractable from record-supporting position and comprising a plurality of elements, said elements being pivotally mounted for radial movement in respect to the axis of the support, said record-supporting devices having relatively inclined surface portions which When a record is operatively mounted on the support engage the record only at its ends respectively so that the record is gripped between said devices by constant exertion or force on the record in the direction of its length.

20. A support for cylindrical records comprising record-supporting devices spaced from each other longitudinally of the support, one of said devices being expansible to and contractable from record-supporting position and comprising a plurality of elements, said elements constituting a substantially conical chuck and being pivotally mounted for radial movement in respect to the axis of the support, said record-supporting devices having relatively inclined surface portions which When a record is operatively mounted on the support engage the record only at its ends respectively so that the record is gripped between said devices by constant exertion or force on the record in the direction of its length.

21. A support for cylindrical records comprising devices for supporting a record only at its ends, one of said devices being expansible to and contractible from record supporting position and comprising a plurality of elements, said elements being mounted for radial movement in respect to the axis of the support, and spring means constantly tending to contract said elements.

22. A support for cylindrical records comprising devices for supporting a record only at its ends, one of said devices being expansible to and contractible from record supporting position and comprising a plurality of elements, said elements being mounted for radial pivotal movement in respect to the axis of the support, and a tensioned spring embracing said elements at a distance from their pivot points.

23. A support for cylindrical records comprising devices for engaging and supporting a record only at its ends, one oi said devices being operable to impart to a record mounted on the support ejecting movement in respect of the support and the other of said devices being expansible to and contractible from record supporting position, means effective to maintain the latter device contracted comprising a releasable locking device, means capable of storing energy for actuating said locking device, and means whereby a certain movement of said supporting and ejecting device efects the storing of energy in said actuating means.

24. A support for cylindrical records comprising devices for engaging and supporting a record only at its ends, one or said devices being operable to impartY to a record mounted on the support ejecting movement in respect of the support and the other of said devices being expansible to and contractible from record supporting position, means eiective to maintain the latter device contracted comprising a releasable locking device, means comprising a spring for actuating said locking device, and means whereby movement of said supporting and ejecting device a certain direction eects the storing of energy in said spring.

25. A support for cylindrical records comprising means for engaging and supporting a record, means movable to eject a record from the support, and actuating means or imparting Vrecord ejecting movement to said ejecting means, said engaging and supporting means being rendered eiective when a record is mounted in proper operative position on the support, to hold said ejecting means against such movement thereof by said actuating means.

26. A support for cylindrical records comprising means for engaging and supporting a record. means'movable to eject a record from the support, and actuating means for imparting record ejecting movement to said ejecting means, said engaging and supporting means when a record is mounted in proper operative position on the support, acting through such record to hold said ejecting means against such movement thereof by said actuating means.

27. A support for cylindrical records comprising means for engaging and supporting a record, said means being movable from record supporting position, means movable to eject a record from the support, and actuating means for imparting record ejecting movement to said ejecting means, said engaging and supporting means, ejecting means and actuating means being cooperatively associated vvhen a record is mounted in proper operative position on the support Whereby the actuating means is rendered operative to impart ejecting movement to the ejecting means upon movement of the engaging and supporting means from record supporting position.

28. A support for cylindrical records comprising devices for engaging and supporting a record.

one of said devicesbeing expansible to and contractible from record supporting position and another of said devices beingmovable longitudinally of the support, and means for expanding said expansible and contractible device, said means being rendered operative to expand the latter device upon longitudinal movement of the other device to a predetermined point.

29. A support for cylindrical records comprising a movable record ejecting device, means capable of storing energy for actuating said device to eject a record, means for holding said device inoperative against the ac-tion of said actuating means, means comprising a releasable locking member for controlling said holding means, and means capable of storing energy for actuating said locking member, said device being movable to effect the storing of energy in both oi said actuating means by a record in the application thereof to the support.

30. A support for cylindrical records comprising a movable record ejecting and supporting device, and means capable of storing energy for actuating said device to eject a record, said device being movable to eiIect the storing of energy in said actuating means by a record in the application thereof to the support.

31. A support for cylindrical records comprising movable record holding means, a movable record ejecting and supporting device, energy storing actuating means for said device, means actuated by a record in the movementthereof onto the support to eiiect the storing of energy in said actuating means, and means thereafter rendered operable in such movement of said record to move said holding means to operative position.

32. In a support of the class described, movable record holding means, a movable record ejecting and supporting device, an operating member for controlling the action of said device, and means for actuating said record holding means including a device for storing energy derived from actuation of said operating member.

33. In a support for cylindrical records, devices respectively adapted to coaet with a record at its ends to support the record, one of said devices being movable Withrrespect to the other device Vto operative and inoperative positions, and means whereby movement of the said movable device to one of such positions is controlled by the other device.V

34. In a support for cylindrical records, a device adapted to engage and support a record at one end of the latter, said device being movable to operative and inoperative positions, movable record ejecting means, and means whereby movement of said device to one of such positions is controlled by said ejecting means. i

35. A support for cylindrical records comprising record supporting devices which when a record is operatively mounted on the support engage record only at its ends respectively and constantly tend to move the record longitudinally in opposite directions so as to grip the record therebetween, one of said devices being expansible to and contractible from record supporting position;

HEINRICH F. MAX GRAMANN. 

